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Senior Living: Silver Alert

Most of us are familiar with “Amber Alert” notifications but are you familiar with the term “Silver Alert?” It is pretty obvious when you think about it, but my initial reaction to seeing a silver alert message on an electronic highway reader board was “what in the world is that?”
This is something new, or at least new to me. Similar to the Amber Alert for missing children we now have a “Silver Alert” to alert the public that a senior with dementia or other cognitive disorders is missing. When a Silver alert is issued, the media will release a description of the missing person and contact information for law enforcement agencies. The information is posted on roadway message sign boards if the missing person is driving an automobile.
People with Alzheimer disease or other forms of dementia tend to wander. Wanderers, not found within 24 hours, often suffer serious injury or even death. It happens more often than you might think. Sixty percent of persons with dementia will wander at some point. Some drive, some will walk and some may talk an unsuspecting bus driver into a free ride. Regardless, you would be surprised at how far they can travel in a very short period of time.
Family members and Police are called to help locate lost seniors; needless to say they appreciate all of the help they can get. Imagine the stress, worry, confusion and desperation felt not only by the person who is lost but by those who take care of them.
Please consider having your senior carry a global positioning system (GPS) at all times. GPS, Fitness and other trackers are quite trendy these days and no longer shout out that a loved one is a “basket case.” In fact, it is a sign that you care enough to take care of yourself in every way.
Activity monitoring systems are small and sophisticated; they can track the actions of a person and send alerts if they fall, wander, or merely begin to slow down. Some people will fuss about privacy infringement but consider the alternatives. Instead of thinking infringements think about how these technologies can help older people remain independent as long as possible.